MUSKEGON, MI – A single tear glistened on Julia Charlene Merfeld’s cheek as the shackled 21-year-old wordlessly left a Muskegon County courtroom following her arraignment for allegedly trying to hire a hit man to kill her 27-year-old husband.

The alleged motive: his life insurance money.

Merfeld, of the 800 block of West Forest Avenue in Muskegon, was arraigned late Thursday afternoon, April 11, on a charge of solicitation to murder. That’s a felony punishable by up to life or any term of years in prison.

Her arrest Wednesday night, April 10, followed a swift investigation by the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office, with an undercover officer posing as a hit man, in cooperation with the Muskegon Police Department and the Michigan State Police. The investigation started after police received a tip late last week.

“We … provided an officer who positioned himself to (pretend to) be the hit person for hire,” Muskegon County Sheriff Dean Roesler said at a news conference hosted along with Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson and Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis. “After the conversation between the defendant and the investigator … shortly after that an arrest was made.”

She was arrested in her vehicle, he told MLive earlier.

Hilson, Lewis and Roesler praised the work of the investigators and the cooperation among police agencies. Hilson called it “a very quick and thorough investigation."

"They did an outstanding job,” Hilson said. ”It’s safe to say they prevented a homicide in the city of Muskegon."

Lewis said he monitored the case closely after hearing about it to ensure the intended victim was never in danger.

Authorities did not immediately release the husband’s name. Officials also did not release details of the investigation, beyond the fact that it involved an officer posing a hit man.

At Merfeld’s arraignment, Hilson argued for a high bond. He called her a flight risk, given what he called the likelihood of conviction of a potential life felony and a “substantial danger to public safety."

"There’s no question in my mind that she is willing to carry out this devious plan,” Hilson said.

Hilson asked Muskegon County District Judge Andrew Wierengo III for a $1 million bond. The judge set bond at $500,000 cash or surety, which requires the full amount to be posted. She remained lodged late Thursday at the Muskegon County Jail.

Her preliminary hearing has been set for 10:30 a.m. April 25. Wierengo said he will appoint a public defender to represent her.